If it had been another elder, Joanna wouldn't have resorted to pleading. As the Alpha, she had the authority to command obedience from anyone in the pack.
But Elder Carter was different. Not only had she been Joanna's late mother's closest friend, but she was also the only elder in the pack who stood unwaveringly by her side. Using force or disrespecting such a person would do her far more harm than good, and Joanna knew this all too well.
"If you're aware of all this, then why are you so determined to drag me into this mess?" Elder Carter demanded, her voice calm yet sharp.
She sprang up from her seat ready to leave the meeting room immediately.
"Because I suspect that the recent disturbances in the pack and Twipera Kingdom are connected to witchcraft and dark sorcery," Joanna blurted out, her intertwined hands tightening with tension.
Elder Carter's eyes widened, she tilted her head and peered down at Joanna's face. "What did you just say?"